The Return of Sawada Shin
by GeorgieM
Summary: Set after the movie, Shin has returned home to the woman he's never been able to forget.  As always, life is never simple, plans often change and drama is inevitable.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my first attempt at writing a Gokusen story so I really hope you like it. Please review and let me know if you like it and if I should continue or not. This story is set shortly after the movie.**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

Chapter 1: Welcome Home

"Shin?" It is barely above a whisper as Kumiko stares at the man standing by the school's front gates. His hair is shorter and all one color, a deep brown, but still a little shaggy. His frame has filled out to more manly proportions since she saw him last. She hadn't seen Sawada Shin in eight years but there was no mistaking those piercing eyes or that slow grin that spread across his face. Jolting to a stop, her bag drops to the ground unnoticed. They stare at each other, drinking in all the changes.

"Yankumi." That one name said with all the affection he has for her is enough to break Kumiko out of her trance.

"Shin!" She screeches in excitement and runs across the grounds, leaping into his open arms. The entire student body that had been loitering around the area, stops in shock at the sight of Yamaguchi-sensei in the arms of a handsome ikeman. As the hug continues for several minutes, the chatter of the students picks up as they try to figure out who the strange teacher of 3-D is hugging and what their relationship is.

The two don't notice the attention, as they pull apart finally. Kumiko suddenly gets a glint in her eye, which Shin notices but not in enough time to protect himself from her first hit. She smacks him hard on the back of the head and then again on the arm. "What the?" Shin yells at the onslaught.

"Eight years!" Kumiko yells at him and smacks him again. "Eight whole years, Sawada Shin!" She shoves him on the chest, causing him to back away. A tear streaks down her right cheek which she brushes away with a fist in irritation. "No visit. No phone call. Not even a shitty little postcard to tell me you were alive." She crosses her arms and glares at him.

Shin sighs and shoves his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. "I'm sorry." Looking away, he shrugs his shoulders. "There were some things I needed to do but I always knew I'd come back here someday. I just got off the plane and came straight here. I haven't seen anyone else yet."

Looking behind him, Kumiko sees two large suitcases sitting next to the gate and sighs. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"I was going to check into a hotel." Shin replies, showing a distinct lack of enthusiasm at the prospect.

"No you're not." Kumiko picks up her school bag and one of his suitcases. "Everyone at home is going to want to see you, so you better just come with me." Not waiting for an answer, she walks to the road and hails a taxi. Shin, grabbing his other bag, quickly follows.

Neither spoke a word for the length of the car ride until they stood outside the large wooden doors at the entrance of Kumiko's home. As they step though onto the grounds, Shin stops and looks up at the main house apprehensively. Kumiko ignores him and continues into the home. Squaring his shoulders, Shin follows her in.

"I'm home!" Kumiko announces and is immediately greeted by two men who come running up to her with respectful bows. One is tall and rather rough looking but with a caring look about his eyes. The other is a bit shorter, much rounder with a bit of a childish air about him. Neither had changed much as far as Shin could tell. "Welcome home!" They both shout then run into each other as they notice the man standing behind their beloved Ojou.

"It has been a long time." Shin bows at the two older men. "Tetsu-san. Minoru-san."

"Sawada-kun?" Tetsu's eyes widen in surprise. "Is it really you?" At Shin's nod, a broad smile spreads across both of their faces as they bow to him. "Welcome home! Welcome home!"

"Did I hear Kumiko's voice?" A much older man walks slowly into the room wearing a dark brown kimono with silvery hair and an air of confidence about him. This is the master of the house and the head of the Ooedo family, a true Yakuza Boss. "Welcome home Granddaughter."

"Thank you Grandpa. I've brought someone to see you." Kumiko pulls Shin up beside her.

"Hello Kuroda-sama." Shin bows respectfully low. "It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Sawada Shin." The old man smiles affectionately at the young man, having no problems recognizing him. "It's about time you came home to us. Come in and have a drink." Noticing the luggage, he gestures to the two henchmen to pick them up. "Take his bags to the guest room." They silently bow and walk away with the bags as Kuroda leads the way to the cushions on the floor. A short while later another henchman sets down a large white bottle of Sake with several cups in front of his boss.

"Come. Let us have a drink then you can tell us about your adventures over the years that has kept you from visiting." Kuroda passes out the full cups of liquor and Shin winces slightly at the admonishment he can hear in the old man's tone. "We have often spoken of you over the years." He gives a significant look at his granddaughter who misses it as she sips at her cup.

"I'm very sorry, sir." Shin bows low again, almost touching his forehead to the floor. "There were things I needed to do and I knew that if I heard from home…" His glance at Kumiko is noticed by her grandfather. "…I would have a hard time continuing because my need to be home would be too overpowering."

"Since you have come home, I assume you have finished what you needed to do." Not waiting for an answer, Kuroda continues with an encouraging smile. "What have you been doing these past years?" Though it is said in the form of a question, Shin can hear the tone of command in it. If he wants to stay in this man's good graces, he better answer thoroughly and honestly.

"At first I went to Africa, as I told Yankumi before I left, and helped build homes and schools. It was a lot of dirty, manual work but I enjoyed the physical aspect of it and feeling that I was useful." Shin sips his sake thoughtfully. "It also gave me plenty of time to think about what I wanted to do with my life. A short while later I was accepted at Northwestern University in the United States with an academic scholarship."

"You went to America?" Kimoko asks in surprise, almost dropping her cup.

_**Thank you for reading and please review and let me know your thoughts.**_

_**What do you think Sawada Shin got his degree in?**_


	2. Good Morning

_**Big thanks to my reviewers: anime92 (my first reviewer for this story!), darkweb47,and ShadoweGoddess. I really do appreciate the encouragement and thank everyone who is taking the time to read my story.**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

Previously:

"_At first I went to Africa, as I told Yankumi before I left, and helped build homes and schools. It was a lot of dirty, manual work but I enjoyed the physical aspect of it and feeling that I was useful." Shin sips his sake thoughtfully. "It also gave me plenty of time to think about what I wanted to do with my life. A short while later I was accepted at Northwestern University in the United States with an academic scholarship."_

"_You went to America?" Kumiko asks in surprise, almost dropping her cup._

Chapter 2: Good Morning

"Good thing my English is a whole lot better than yours." Shin smirks at Kimiko before continuing. "I was there for six years getting my Masters degree in Business and spent another year and a half at a major corporation as a business liaison between the U.S. and Japan." For the next hour he tells them about living abroad, going to college and what his job entailed, leaving out a few details he'd rather keep to himself for now.

"I'm so proud of you!" Kumiko wipes a tear off her cheek and pulls Shin in for a bone-crushing hug. "To think, one of my students is so successful!"

"Yankumi…" Strangling, Shin pulls at her arms. "… can't breathe." Amazingly, he is able to disentangle himself and holds her arms down in front of her as a precautionary measure.

"Are you on leave from your job?" Kuroda sips at the drink in front of him.

"Actually, I resigned." Shin is glad he is still holding onto Kumiko's arms as she starts screeching at him.

"You what?" Trying unsuccessfully to pull her arms free, Kumiko glares accusingly at him.

"I didn't belong there." Looking into her eyes, Shin moves his hands down to hers and squeezes them gently. "I needed to come home."

Somewhat mollified with his answer if a bit confused, Kumiko settles back down and tugs her hands away from him. The feel of his fingers on her bare skin has always left her feeling unsettled for some reason. She rubs her hands together, trying to get rid of the tingling sensation his touch left behind.

Sighing, Shin turns back to Kumiko's grandfather and bows. "Thank you for taking me into your home. If you will excuse me, I would like to rest for a while before supper. The flight here was very long."

"Of course." Kuroda stands up slowly and nods his head at the young man. "I will send someone to you let you know when supper is ready. Go and have a good rest." He walks slowly out of the room, a small smile playing across his lips. "The young lion has finally come home, this should be interesting."

After a rowdy welcome home dinner where everyone drank too much and Shin passed out small gifts he'd brought for them, they each found their way to bed leaving a rather intoxicated Kumiko with a very sober Shin as the last ones in the room. Grinning sloppily, Kumiko leans heavily on Shin's shoulder as she downs the last of the sake in one big swallow.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed, Yankumi." Standing up, Shin pulls her up and tries to steady her. "What were you thinking drinking so much on a school night?" He shakes his head.

"Couldn't let those fools think they can out drink me." Kumiko exclaims punching her fist into the air and falling forward into Shin. "Sides, we had to celebrate your return." She puts her hands up to push him away only to have them stop on his solidly muscled chest when she looks up at him.

"Yes and now you're going to have one heck of a hangover when you to go to work in the morning." Shin grins wryly down at her and sucks in his breath when he realizes how close her face is to his. After struggling with himself for a minute, resisting the urge to taste the lips that had haunted him over the years, he turns to the side and wraps an arm around her waist to guide her to her room. Kumiko, unable to make a coherent thought and her inhibitions gone with the alcohol, flops her arms around his shoulders and nuzzles her face into his neck. "Yankumi, can you not do that?" She ignores his strained voice and cuddles closer into his warmth, closing her eyes contentedly.

Shin practically drags her the rest of the way to her room and tries to deposit her on the bed but is thrown off balance when her arms refuse to let go. Falling forward, he manages twist enough that he lands beside her instead of on top. Catching his breath, Shin unclasps her arms so that he can get up but she rolls half on top of him and rewraps her arms around his waist, using his chest as a pillow.

"Yankumi?" Shin barely dares to breathe, his will weakening at the feel of the lithe body pressing into his. "Kumiko?" His only response is a slight shuffle as she snuggles into a more comfortable position and a soft snore. Sighing in defeat, Shin wraps his arms around her and kisses her softly on the forehead. "Goodnight. Try not to kill me in the morning since this is all your fault."

The next morning Shin awakens to Kumiko freaking out. "Shit! Why didn't my alarm go off? I am going to be late to school!" Blearily opening his eyes, he sees her jump out of bed and run for her dresser. Shin sits up, rubs the sleep from his eyes and stretches his arms over his head. Kumiko looks over at him in a panic. "Why didn't you wake me up, Shin?"

"Maybe because I was still asleep until you screamed in my ear." Apparently, this was too reasonable of an answer for Kumiko as she just shoots him a glare and runs out of the room. Shin watches the door patiently and, as expected, Kumiko's head pops back through the doorway with her eyes wide in shocked realization. "Shin?... Why are you in my room in my bed?"

"Well, that was a considerably quieter reaction than I was expecting." Shin stands up and stretches with one arm high over his head and the other out to the side. "Good morning, Yankumi."

"Don't you 'Good morning' me!" Stomping into the room, Kumiko takes a swing at his arm in frustration which Shin easily dodges. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her eyes widen as her imagination runs wild and she looks at the bed in terror. "Oh my God! What did we do?"

Deciding to mess with her a bit, Shin comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist and sets his chin on her shoulder. "What do you think we did… Kumiko?" His rough, low voice sends a shiver down her spine and she jerks her hand up reflexively, back-handing him in the face. Rubbing his cheek, Shin shakes his head ruefully. "Should have seen that coming." Leaning over her shoulder once more, his lips almost touch her ear. "Absolutely, positively without a doubt… nothing happened." Grinning, he pecks her on the cheek and quickly walks out of the room before she can recover.

"SHIN!"

_**Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading!**_

_**~Georgie**_


	3. Yankumi's Ikeman

_**Virtual chocolate chip cookies to my two reviewers of chapter 2: elmms and lily. **_

_**I also want to send a thank you out to everyone who read/followed/favorited this story. All of it is appreciated. I'd love to hear from more of my readers letting me know how they like this story or if there are any suggestions on how to improve it. I'm always willing to listen to new ideas and constructive criticism. I am trying to keep everyone in character but they might end up a bit ooc to fit the scene.**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

Previously:

"_Don't you 'Good morning' me!" Stomping into the room, Kumiko takes a swing at his arm in frustration which Shin easily dodges. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her eyes widen as her imagination runs wild and she looks at the bed in terror. "Oh my God! What did we do?"_

_Deciding to mess with her a bit, Shin comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist and sets his chin on her shoulder. "What do you think we did… Kumiko?" His rough, low voice sends a shiver down her spine and she jerks her hand up reflexively, back-handing him in the face. Rubbing his cheek, Shin shakes his head ruefully. "Should have seen that coming." Leaning over her shoulder once more, his lips almost touch her ear. "Absolutely, positively without a doubt… nothing happened." Grinning, he pecks her on the cheek and quickly walks out of the room before she can recover._

"_SHIN!"_

**Chapter 3**

"Did I really just sleep with Yankumi?" Sitting on the edge of the mattress in the guest room, Shin sighs and puts his head in his hands. He'd heard a funny screech come from Kumiko after he'd left the room and the soft thud of something hitting the wall near the door. Being the smart man that he is, Shin did not go back to find out what it was. He just kept walking until he found himself in the guest room and hoping no one realizes where he spent last night. "I slept with Kumiko in her bed in her grandfather's house who just happens to be one of the most powerful Yakuza bosses in Japan… shit."

Taking several deep breaths, Shin regains his cool and gets changed for the day. After leaving his room, Shin greets everyone at the table and sits down on a cushion to eat his breakfast. A few minutes later, Kumiko dashes in while throwing a bunch of papers into her bag. She freezes when she notices Shin and blushes, turning her eyes away. Greeting everyone, she hastily eats her breakfast while avoiding looking at Shin.

"Good morning, Yankumi." Watching her, Shin bows his head and continues eating.

Kumiko mumbles something that vaguely sounds like 'morning' and stuffs the last bite of food into her mouth. "Time for school." She jumps up and runs to the door. After putting her shoes on, her grandfather and his henchmen do their usual ritual to send her off.

"See you at lunch." Shin calls out to her before she can run out the door.

"Lunch?" Confused, Kumiko stops to look at him.

"Yes, lunch. It's that meal in the middle of the day. I'll come pick you up and we can go to Kuma's to eat." Shin runs a hand through his hair. "I haven't seen him in forever."

"Oh… Kuma's… I guess that'd be okay." Kumiko waves and runs out the door, happy with the thought of reuniting two of her precious students.

"Young Master." Tetsu turns to Shin with a smile and waves a very pregnant young woman over who had just come out of the kitchen. Her midnight black hair is pulled back into a high ponytail showing off a pleasant round face and wide, almond eyes. Tetsu smiles at her adoringly. "I would like you to meet my wife, Sachi."

"Nice to meet you, Sachi-san." Shin bows to the smiling woman, a little surprised the Tetsu had gotten married but he has been gone a long time.

"Hello, Young Master." Sachi bows respectfully to him, carefully holding her protruding abdomen. "I have heard many good things about you. Welcome home."

"Thank you." After this short exchange, Sachi excuses herself to go lay down in her room. Shin grins at Tetsu and punches him lightly on the arm. "Congratulations, Tetsu-san. It's amazing how much I've missed."

"Thank you, Young Master Shin." Tetsu leads him back to the table. "You may have missed out on some things but you are home now. I haven't forgotten you're declaration as a rival for a certain someone's heart and it doesn't look as if you have changed your mind." When Shin remains silent, not denying the fact, Tetsu smiles. "Your original competition is gone, if you are interested in knowing. Obviously, I dropped out since Ojou never saw me as anything more than a brother. Then I met my Sachi and knew that she is where I belonged. The two cops are also out of the picture after they realized what aligning themselves with a daughter of the Yakuza would do to their careers. Ojou was quite upset with the tall one's defection but, to be honest, I felt she was more upset over you leaving for Africa."

"Bakas." Shin mumbles, referring to the aforementioned officers of the law. "A badge, a career and a clean name… as if any of that matters or makes you happy. To give up so easily is pathetic. They weren't worthy of her."

"You haven't changed." Tetsu laughs. "Ojou has had a few love interests while you were away but none of them panned out. There is a guy that's another Yakuza family's heir. He's constantly pestering her but she has no interest in him."

"Another heir, huh?" Rubbing his chin, Shin looks over at his friend. "Thanks for the heads up."

The rest of the morning passed quickly for Shin as he got reacquainted with everyone again… when there wasn't alcohol involved. Before long, it is time for him to go pick up Kumiko for lunch. Kuroda-sama and the others send him on his way with gleeful smiles, hoping that their Ojou will start to realize just how much she means to the Young Master.

As Shin walks through the market place on the way to the bus stop, several of the shop owners and people along the street greet him. "Good morning, Young Master!" "Welcome home, Sawada-sama!" Not sure what to make of it, Shin just nods and greets them in return. He makes a mental note to ask about it when he returns to the household.

The bus ride is uneventful and it doesn't take long for him to walk the last couple blocks to the school. Stopping outside the gate, Shin looks around but doesn't see anyone so he continues up to main building and finds his way to the teachers' office. Opening the door, he walks in and bows when everyone stops what they are doing to look at him. "Hello. Could you tell me where to find…"

"Sawada Shin?" A voice interrupts Shin's question and he looks over to find his old Vice Principal staring back at him.

"You're here too? Yankumi didn't mention that." Shin bows to the older man with a smirk on his face.

"You were one of my biggest disappointments." The Principal Sawatari sighs dramatically as he takes in Shin's faded, ripped jeans and black tee shirt with an unbuttoned black shirt over top. "So much potential, accepted into the best schools and you threw it all away. So whatever became of you? Gang leader? Hustler? Street bum?"

"Actually I received my Masters at Northwestern University in the U.S. and have been working as a business liaison for the past few years." Shin enjoys watching Sawatari's mouth drop open, leaving him speechless. "I'm here to take Kumiko to lunch. Could you tell me where I can find Yamaguchi-sensei?"

A friendly looking woman in a nurse's uniform with long brown hair answers when it appears the principal is having difficulty getting over the shock. "Yamaguchi-sensei is in the far building on the first floor teaching class 3-D."

"Of course she is." Shin shakes his head, not at all surprised by what class she has. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She answers, thinking to herself that she really needs to ask Yamaguchi about this handsome man that's showed up for her.

Shin walks over to where the nurse had indicated and finds a familiar landscape around him. The walls are covered in colorful graffiti, pieces of unused furniture are piled into corners and loud, obnoxious voices are coming from the door in front of him with a sign proclaiming it to be "3-D". Sliding the door open, Shin steps inside and leans against the frame watching his love interact with her hostile students.

"Oye! Who the hell are you?" A boy with blonde streaks in his black hair yells at Shin from the back row causing everyone to look at the newcomer.

"Shin!" Kumiko yells when she sees him. Her students stare from Shin to her in shock. "What are you doing here already? It's not lunch time yet. I thought we were meeting by the gate."

"I know but I arrived early and thought I would check out your new class." Shin smiles and walks over to lean against her desk to whisper in her ear. "Have you won them over yet?"

"Not quite." Kumiko whispers back, frowning.

"Hey, Tama asked who you were! You gonna answer or what?" Another boy with brown, spiky hair shouts from a desk in the middle. "And what are you doing with Yamaguchi?"

"You don't even have them calling you 'Yankumi' yet?" Shin shakes his head in mock disappointment before answering the student. "I'm Sawada Shin and…" He glances down at his watch. "I'll be taking your teacher out to lunch today." Grabbing Kumiko's hand, Shin pulls her out the door just at the Lunch bell rings and as her class watches even more shocked than before.

"Our weird teach has an ikeman boyfriend?" One of them screams out and the others shake their heads in complete agreement with that question and much confusion. They had all heard about some guy showing up for her yesterday but thought it was a bunch of bull.

_**Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading!**_

_**~Georgie**_


	4. Follow the Leader

_**Big Thanks! to everyone following my story and especially to my reviewers of chapter 3: Tracy, writer-in-progress-94, blueeyedgalxx, jewel4575, lisaxx, and izzy. I wish I could come through the computer and give each of you a big hug… but I won't cause that would be really weird and creepy! Everyone would run away from their computers screaming about needing an exorcist and a baseball bat. Yeah, best to just say 'thanks' and move on. **_

_**Sorry this has taken so long to put up. Life gets a little crazy sometimes and now I'm sitting here with my foot up on a pillow encased in plaster… I think I need to get my paints out and decorate it because the sheer whiteness of it is annoying. Anyway, on with the story! **_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

Previously:

"_Hey, Tama asked who you were! You gonna answer or what?" Another boy with brown, spiky hair shouts from a desk in the middle. "And what are you doing with Yamaguchi?"_

"_You don't even have them calling you 'Yankumi' yet?" Shin shakes his head in mock disappointment before answering the student. "I'm Sawada Shin and…" He glances down at his watch. "I'll be taking your teacher out to lunch today." Grabbing Kumiko's hand, Shin pulls her out the door just at the Lunch bell rings and as her class watches even more shocked than before._

"_Our weird teach has an ikeman boyfriend?" One of them screams out and the others shake their heads in complete agreement with that question and much confusion. They had all heard about some guy showing up for her yesterday but thought it was a bunch of bull. _

**Chapter 4: Follow the Leader**

Tama pushes away from his desk and runs for the door to follow his teacher. The others look at each other for a moment and then rush out the door to follow him. Everyone makes it outside in time to see Kumiko and Shin turn the corner by the front gate.

They try to stealthily follow which makes Shin chuckle to himself and wonder how they think a class of twenty-four delinquents isn't noticeable. He looks over at Kumiko and isn't at all surprised that she is oblivious to their stalkers. Shaking his head, Shin continues to pull Kumiko down the road towards Kuma's place.

Kumiko is too distracted by the fact that Shin is still holding her hand to notice even where they are going let alone that they have company or that the number of people has grown over the last few blocks as some of her previous students join their trailing train of people. Thinking back, she can't recall the last time she held hands with someone outside of a few smaller children. Finding the feel of his hand in hers intriguing, Kumiko doesn't object or pull away even though a small part of her feels as though she should.

At Kuma's ramen shop, they easily find a table near the counter as it is still a little early for the lunch crowd. The door opens again and a steady stream of people walk in and sit at the surrounding tables, not even trying to hide their interest in the two people sitting in the middle. The leaders of Kumiko's current class sneak to the back corner while the rest peek in through the windows.

"I'm beginning to feel like an exhibit at the zoo." Rolling his eyes, Shin glances around at the avid faces watching them.

"What?" Kumiko looks up from the menu and, realizing what he said, looks around the room. Her eyes widen in delight at the sight of her old students. "You guys! Hi! What are you doing here?"

"I take it you know them?" Shin asks though he already knows the answer. "Nevermind. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that they are some of your 'precious students'."

"You always were the smart one." Kumiko laughs.

Having heard the door, Kuma walks in from the kitchen and stops in shock at all of the people filling his restaurant. There had been no one just five minutes ago. Seeing a number of familiar faces, Kuma greets them until he sees Kumiko and rushes over with a big smile on his round face. "Yankumi!" Looking at the man across from her, he stops dead again studying the familiar looking face. "Shin? Is that you?"

"Hey Kuma." Standing up, Shin bows at his old friend.

"Shin!" Having none of that, Kuma bounds over to him and pulls him into a big bear hug. "I knew you were coming but why didn't you call and tell me when? I would have picked you up at the airport. When did you get back?" The guys watching the scene suddenly start smiling in relief as they figure out that Shin must be one of Kumiko's old students since he's friends with Kuma.

"I need to breathe, Kuma." Shin gasps and Kuma lets him go with a sheepish grin. "My plane landed yesterday."

"You knew Shin was coming home?" Eyes narrowing, Kumiko walks between the two friends.

"Y-yes, he wrote it in his last e-mail." Unable to look her in the eyes, Kuma looks at the crowd watching them in amusement. "Oh, look at all of my customers. I think I better go take their orders." He hurries over to one of the tables with his order pad but, instead of writing down an order, he turns to watch Shin and Kumiko.

"Shin." Kumiko turns to the younger man and crosses her arms. "Why is it that Kuma knew and I didn't? Apparently, he's heard from you several times and I didn't get anything. Do I rank that low?"

"Kumiko, I can explain… and you were the first person I came to see as soon as I landed." Shin responds while wincing at the hurt in her voice. He places a hand on her shoulder. "Let's eat first and then we can talk."

The others in the restaurant gasp when Shin calls their teacher by her first name without even an honorific attached. Then they stare in wonder when Kumiko doesn't hit him or lecture him for doing it. This new development implies a level of intimacy that they can't imagine somebody having with their crazy teacher. That it is also coming from a former student of hers causes even more confusion and no one is quite sure what to make of it.

"I've lost my appetite." Kumiko mumbles as she shakes his hand off her shoulder, picks up her bag and walks out the door.

"Kumiko! Damn it." Shin runs an agitated hand through his hair. "Kuma, do you have a couple bowls of ramen I can take with me? We both know how Yankumi can get if she's hungry and the last thing I need is for her to be both hungry and angry at me."

"You'll be lucky if she doesn't kill you." Filling a couple to-go containers, Kuma hands them to Shin in a bag with some chopsticks. "I told you to write to her. She was really hurt when you just disappeared like that."

"Thanks Kuma." Taking the food, Shin flicks two fingers in a wave at his friend. "See if you can get some of the guys together and we'll hang out tonight. I'm staying with Yankumi's family." Kuma nods, wishing him luck, and Shin quickly walks out the door to follow after Kumiko.

"Who was that, Kuma?" One of men sitting closest to Kuma asks staring at the door Shin had walked out of.

"My best friend from high school, Sawada Shin." Kuma smiles, happy to have his friend back.

"High school? So he is one of Yankumi's students?" Everyone smiles as they think their previous assumption is correct, after all no student of Yankumi's would ever think of her at attractive or datable.

"She was our homeroom teacher which is the first class she ever taught but I don't know if anyone would have considered him one of her students." Shaking his head, Kuma laughs at the memory of his school days. Everyone gives him confused looks so he elaborates. "Shin is a genius. He was the smartest juvenile delinquent you'll ever meet, so Yankumi never really had to teach him anything. The rest of us she treated as her 'precious students' but Shin was always different. Yankumi always helped us with our problems, whether we wanted her to or not. When Yankumi had problems though, Shin was the one she would turn to for help. He was also the first to find out the truth about her."

"What truth?" Tama, quiet until now, weaves his way up to the front of the restaurant.

"Aren't you one of Yankumi's current students?" Kuma looks the boy up and down.

"Yeah, what of it?" Jamming his hands into his pockets, Tama glares at the bigger man.

"Nothing." Kuma chuckles at the thought that Yankumi's students never change. "As for the truth about Yankumi, I'm sure you'll find out eventually, every class does, but it won't be from me."

The other older students around the room nod their heads, agreeing with Kuma. Frustrated that everyone seems to know something he doesn't, Tama starts to argue again when one of his classmates interrupts him. "Let it go, Tama." A lanky teen with shaggy black hair stands up and bows to Kuma. "Sorry to have troubled you." He walks out of the restaurant and Tama follows, angrily slamming the door behind him. The rest of the classmates follow them out leaving behind only Yankumi's previous students who continue to probe Kuma for more information on Shin and his relationship with their old teacher. Kuma, loyal to the bone, refuses to comment or speculate further on the feelings of his friend and teacher.

Almost back to the school, Shin finds Kumiko in a small park sitting dejectedly on a stone bench under a tall tree. He sighs and sits down on the other end of the bench, setting the bag of food between them. He smiles when he hears Kumiko's stomach rumble, breaking the silence between them. "I brought ramen." Opening the bag, Shin pulls out the two bowls of ramen and chopsticks, but she turns away from him. "Come on, Kumiko. You need to eat something and you know Kuma makes the best ramen."

Giving in when her stomach rumbles again, Kumiko accepts the bowl and utensils. "I'm not forgiving you. I'm only taking this because I'm hungry and I hate to waste food." She turns away again.

They eat the ramen in silence. Kumiko ignores Shin's presence beside her while he tries to figure out how to explain himself to her. When they finish eating, Shin throws away the garbage and walks with her back to the school gates.

"Kumiko?" Grabbing her hand, Shin stops Kumiko but she doesn't turn to look at him. "Kumiko, I'm sorry. I wanted to write to you… every day I wanted to write to you but I couldn't."

"Why?" Still not looking at him, Kumiko stares ahead at the school, not really seeing it or her students who have returned and were peering at them from behind the fence.

Shin tugs her closer until her back is against his front and wraps his arms around her shoulders in a tight hug, which keeps her from moving away or hitting him. "Because I missed you so much." Just then the bell rings calling the students back to class so Shin lets go of her and pushes her towards the gate. "You'd better get to class. Can't have the teacher setting a bad example for her students by being late."

"But…" Kumiko stops to look at him.

"Go." Shin waves her on. "We can talk more later."

_**Love it? Hate it? Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading!**_

_**~Georgie**_


	5. Rivals

_**Special thanks to my lovely reviewers of the last chapter: spoilerlover (Shin is a great character and I always wanted him to come back, too), writer-in-progress-94 (you'll see more of her previous students' reactions in a couple chapters, especially when I write about Shin's little get-together with his friends), and Izzy (I hope you love this next chapter too).**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

_Previously:_

"_Kumiko?" Grabbing her hand, Shin stops Kumiko but she doesn't turn to look at him. "Kumiko, I'm sorry. I wanted to write to you… every day I wanted to write to you but I couldn't."_

"_Why?" Still not looking at him, Kumiko stares ahead at the school, not really seeing it or her students who have returned and were peering at them from behind the fence._

_Shin tugs her closer until her back is against his front and wraps his arms around her shoulders in a tight hug, which keeps her from moving away or hitting him. "Because I missed you so much." Just then the bell rings calling the students back to class so Shin lets go of her and pushes her towards the gate. "You'd better get to class. Can't have the teacher setting a bad example for her students by being late."_

"_But…" Kumiko stops to look at him._

"_Go." Shin waves her on. "We can talk more later."_

Chapter 5: Rivals

With a last glance back at Shin, Kumiko walks up to the gate and her students make a mad dash for the school building so she doesn't find them spying on her. Lost in thought, she doesn't notice the man walking up to her waving until he clears his throat to get her attention, making her jump. He looks at her strangely as he's never seen anyone be able to sneak up on her before and he wasn't even trying this time.

"Something wrong?" At the sound of the familiar, masculine voice, Kumiko looks up into the concerned gaze of Odagiri Ryu.

"Oh, Odagiri, hello." Kumiko says distractedly while peering over her shoulder.

Ryu's gaze follows hers and sees Shin standing there with a slight scowl on his face watching them. "Is that someone you know?" Not liking the look of the guy, Ryu tenses up.

"Oh… yes. That's Shin." Shaking her head, Kumiko starts walking up to the school but stops when she realizes the Ryu is not with her. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah." Tearing his gaze from the other man, Ryu jogs up beside her and they walk the rest of the way into the school in silence. Ryu makes a mental note to stop by Kuma's on his way home after school. If anyone is going to know who this Shin character in Kumiko's life is, it will be the friendly restaurant owner.

"Are we still on for dinner tonight?" Keeping the eagerness out of his voice, Ryu watches his ex-teacher's face.

He's not exactly sure when her face went from plain to beautiful in his eyes. It may have started the first time she came to save him from those wanna-be-yakuzas who were beating the hell out of him. Kumiko fired up with passion as she saves one of her students is a sight to behold. The more he was around her when he was a student, the more fascinated he had become. After graduation, Ryu hadn't seen her again until the first day of his training to be a teacher. The shock of seeing her after so much time was like a shot to the gut and brought back every single feeling and memory, except now he was a full-fledged adult and looked at her as a man would. As their days progressed, Ryu saw Kumiko as less his old teacher and more as the desirable woman she is. He couldn't help wondering how her passionate nature would translate into a romantic form and it took his breath away. Watching her take a beating for him at the assembly last year made Ryu realize just how important she had become to him. Watching the man point a loaded gun at her face about stopped Ryu's heart, he couldn't even breathe for fear that the man would pull trigger. Since then, he's made every effort to stay close to Kumiko, to protect her as much as he can.

"As if I'd back out of a chance to socialize with one of favorite cute students." Batting her eyes in a comical fashion, Kumiko grins up at him.

"Do I really have to remind you again that I'm not your student now?" Nothing aggravates Ryu more than her reminding him that she only sees him as one of her students. He's very much afraid that she's of the opinion that 'once a student, always a student' which would not bode well for him winning her heart. "We are colleagues. You need to get it through that pretty little head of yours that I'm not eighteen anymore."

"Pretty?" Kumiko's eyes light up and she clasps her hands in front of her. "You think I'm pretty?"

"Is that the only part you heard?" Ryu blushes and looks away as the bell rings. For once, he is very grateful for that stupid bell so he has a valid excuse to avoid answering Kumiko's question. "We better get to class. See you after school." With that, he turns and hurries into the classroom marked '2-C' where his students are gathering.

Smiling happily, Kumiko skips the rest of the way to her classroom and enters into mass chaos. Everyone is arguing, pushing and shoving. She catches a few of the words being spoken and concern darkens her eyes. "Tama and Benjiro said they'd handle it."…"too dangerous"… "can't trust those guys to fight fair"… "we should have gone" A moment later, she watches as a couple boys who are the closest friends of the two boys shove their way to the front of the room and run out the door.

"Ebisu-kun! Miki-kun!" Kumiko yells for the boys but it's too late and they are already gone, so she addresses the rest of the class as calmly as she can. "Quiet please. Everybody, please sit down and be quiet." When that doesn't work, she gets angry and uses her meanest yakuza voice, the one that makes hardened criminals shake in their boots. "When your teacher is talking, you sit down and shut your mouths! This is a basic rule of school courtesy, one you should be very familiar with by now since you are no longer in primary school." This shocked the students into silence as they stare at their teacher, wondering where she learned to speak like that. No teacher talks like that. "Now that I have your attention, could someone please tell me where Tama, Benjiro, Ebisu and Miki went?"

"JK High's leader sent a messenger here to challenge Benjiro." A student in the back with purple streaks in his hair says as he stands up. "You can't just ignore something like that. It's a matter of honor. Tama went with him to the pier as his second."

"Don't tell her that!" Another stands up and smacks him across the back of the head before facing his teacher. "What's it to you? You gonna expel them now?"

"Would you just shut up!" A boy with curly brown hair wearing a silky black shirt under his uniform jacket paces towards the door. "We have to go help them. You know those JK jerks never fight fair."

"Are you stupid?" This comes from a boy cowering in the corner. "That's a suicide mission. JK guys are a bunch of pumped-up thugs that wouldn't think twice about squashing a bug like you."

As the room starts to argue again, Kumiko rubs her eyes in frustration. "I thought you said that these guys are your buddies, your best friends?" Her grumble catches their attention again. "True friends always have each other's backs, no matter the consequences, no matter the dangers. I'm so disgusted, I don't even want to look at you." Scowling as the remainder of the class bow their heads, Kumiko runs for the door.

"Where are you going?" Several of her students shout at her.

"To find my precious students." Kumiko's voice calls back to them.

_**Who wants to read an action sequence?**_

_**Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading!**_

_**~Georgie**_


	6. Mystery Person

**I know it has been a while since I last posted and I thank you for your patience. The end of school, work, Karate lessons and vacation planning have been keeping me busy. It's not going to get any easier either since summer swim team starts up in June. I will do my best to post as soon as I can.**

_**Special thanks to my most awesome reviewers of the last chapter: just-a-fan (glad I could renew your interest in fanfic) and writer-in-progress-94 (beware of falling confetti!)(I like to acknowledge the readers that take the time to review to show my appreciation.).**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine… though I wish I could claim Shin once in a while.**_

_Previously:_

"_Would you just shut up!" A boy with curly brown hair wearing a silky black shirt under his uniform jacket paces towards the door. "We have to go help them. You know those JK jerks never fight fair."_

"_Are you stupid?" This comes from a boy cowering in the corner. "That's a suicide mission. JK guys are a bunch of pumped-up thugs that wouldn't think twice about squashing a bug like you."_

_As the room starts to argue again, Kumiko rubs her eyes in frustration. "I thought you said that these guys are your buddies, your best friends?" Her grumble catches their attention again. "True friends always have each other's backs, no matter the consequences, no matter the dangers. I'm so disgusted, I don't even want to look at you." Scowling as the remainder of the class bow their heads, Kumiko runs for the door._

"_Where are you going?" Several of her students shout at her._

"_To find my precious students." Kumiko's voice calls back to them._

Chapter 6: Mystery Person

It takes less than two minutes for the rest of the class to follow their teacher out the door. Their running footsteps echo through the halls and catch Ryu's attention. Looking out the door, he watches as the boys run by with a look of determination on their faces, which is never a good sign with that class.

"Kotoko Ami, I'm leaving you as the class monitor. Everyone, I'm going to have you do self study." With that said, Ryu rushes out the door without another word. With his long legged stride, he easily catches up to the group and slows down to keep pace with the students in front. "Where is Yankumi?"

"The pier." One of the boys answers without looking over, not realizing or caring who is was that asked.

Not needing to know anything further, Ryu picks up his speed, leaving the younger men to fall further behind. He dodges around a pile of wooden crates, jumps a chain-link fence and sprints between two large, worn-down warehouses. Coming to the edge of the water, he scans down the shoreline on either side until he spots a large group of people gathered a little ways down. Running closer, he can just make out three people being held down and another in a bright red track suit standing tense in the middle, almost completely surrounded by a rough looking group of young thugs. It looks like he just missed Kumiko introducing herself.

Swinging a large pipe, the first of the gang tries his luck with Kumiko. She twists away and lands a swift hit on his arm causing him to drop the weapon. She spins around and wacks behind the neck, knocking him to the ground. "This is not a toy for a child." Kumiko kicks the pipe away. Another three try to rush her at the same time from different directions. At the last second, Kumiko side-steps smoothly and the three crash into each other and fall back dazed. One of the burlier boys with a scar across his cheek lunges forward with a roundhouse punch but she nimbly jumps out of the way, grabbing his arm as it goes by with a yank. His momentum sends him careening into four boys behind her making them fall like dominoes.

Normally by this point the teenagers would recognize a losing battle and runaway but that wasn't the case with this group, either because of rampant stupidity or stubborn blindness Ryu thought. They continue to attack Kumiko who continues to rebuff them and Ryu sighs, wondering if he should bother jumping in to help since it looks as if Kumiko has everything under control. He starts making his way around the crowd to where the three captives are being held down and notices that one of them is unconscious.

A moan comes from the unconscious captive and Ryu can see him shaking his head as if trying to clear out the cobwebs. Glancing around, the boy growls and Ryu suddenly sees the two thugs who had been holding the boy go flying. In a blur of spinning kicks and lightning fast jabs, the captives were freed without Ryu having to lift a finger. The other two Ryu recognizes from Kumiko's class but the one is a mystery as a hoodie still covers most of his face and he isn't wearing a school uniform. Freedom giving them a surge of adrenaline, the boys fight their way over to Kumiko. Finally realizing it's a lost cause, the gang breaks and scatters, almost tripping over themselves in the rush to escape.

"Have a good workout?" Ryu asks as he approaches the small group, a wry smile on his handsome face.

"Ryu! What are you doing here?" Wide-eyed, Kumiko faces him.

"What the hell kind of teacher are you?" "Are you insane?" Tama and Benjiro ask at the same time, interrupting them with incredulous looks in their eyes. "And who the hell are you?" Tama adds looking at the third captive who's wearing loose fitting, ripped black jeans and an over-sized black hoodie with a stylized white bulldog on the front.

"I'm…" A soft voice starts to answer when he suddenly crumples in a dead faint. Thanks to quick reflexes, Ryu manages to catch him before he hits the ground, wrapping an arm around a very slender waist. The boy's head lolls back and his hoodie falls away revealing smooth porcelain skin, delicate features and a wild mass of deep red hair pinned up in a messy knot.

"A girl." Ryu says, stunned.

"Akahana?" Stepping closer, Kumiko brushes a hand across the girl's forehead with a worried expression. "She is burning up."

"You know her?" Ryu asks unnecessarily, seeing as how she had just said the girl's name.

"Yes." Turning to her students, Kumiko assesses their wounds and decides they'll be fine in a few days. "Boys, go back to school. You have classes… and take the rest of them with you." She waves a hand at the rest of their classmates who are standing a little ways away staring at their crazy homeroom teacher.

"But…" Benjiro starts to argue but shuts up at the look on his teacher's face. He didn't usually listen to adults, or anyone for that matter, but he didn't want to push this teacher too far after seeing what she is capable of.

"No 'buts'." She says firmly and pushes the reluctant boys towards their schoolmates. "Go." Grumbling, the boys walk away and start herding the rest of the class back towards the school. Satisfied, Kumiko turns back to Ryu. "We need to get her into bed with a cold compress and medicine. Your place is closer so let's go there."

Nodding, Ryu places his other arm under the girl's legs and easily lifts her. They walk in silence the four blocks to Ryu's building and take the elevator up to the top. Ryu's apartment takes up half of the entire top floor of the building. Having rich parents that were just happy he was not in jail or a member of a gang had its perks, living in such a place being one of them.

The apartment is mostly one huge room with high ceilings and hard wood floors. The walls are painted a soft gray-blue and on either side large windows span the length of the room giving spectacular views of the city. In the back left corner is the kitchen with a butcher block island in the center. A staircase hugs the wall to the right of the kitchen leading up to an open-air loft where Ryu's bedroom is located. Rich red drapes hang to the side in case he needs to close them for privacy. Below his room is the only enclosed area which is the bathroom and his walk-in closet. Comfortable looking furniture in various shades of red are scattered around the rest of the room.

After putting on slippers, Ryu walks over and carefully lays his burden down on the nearest couch as Kumiko hovers nearby. He walks to the wall near the door which has a large bookcase on it. After closing and locking the case's panels, he reaches to the side and pulls on a hidden strap. The entire case glides down to lay on the floor revealing a hidden murphy bed. Ryu locks the bed into place and picks up the girl once more to lay her down on the bed. Kumiko during this had found a clear wash cloth and wet it down with cold water to place on Akahana's forehead. Coming back from the bathroom, Ryu hands Kumiko some medicine. "She can take this when she wakes up. It'll help with the fever." When she takes it with a nod, he shoves his hands in his pockets. "I'm going back to the school. One of us has to be there or your class will go nuts."

"No." Standing, Kumiko places a hand on his arm to stop him from leaving. "I had better go. I can't let my students think that I abandoned them. Your class is better behaved than mine so I can ask the gym teacher to sit in for you."

"You want me to stay here alone and care for an unconscious girl whom I have never met before?" He raises an eyebrow and stares at her.

"I trust you, Odagiri. You are a good guy and I know you will take good care of her." Pressing her hands together, Kumiko pleads with him. "Please?"

"Alright." Sighing, Ryu gives in. "But come right here as soon as classes end."

Before he could finish the sentence, Kumiko was already on her way out the door with an energetic wave. "Take good care of her." She reminds him with a quick glance back and closes the door softly.

"Just great." Ryu runs an agitated hand through his thick hair and stares down at the girl and decides to make her more comfortable. After checking to make sure she has on another shirt, he slides the hoodie off over her head. She moans slightly at movement bringing his eyes back to her and he blushes lightly. The pull of the hoodie had also pulled the bottom of her shirt up, exposing the lean, smooth skin of her belly. Trying not to look, Ryu swiftly moves the shirt back into place and pulls a blanket up over her.

_**How was the fight scene? Any guesses as to how Yankumi knows the mystery girl? Please review and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading!**_

_**~Georgie**_


	7. Who Are You x 2

_**I know this has taken a while to update and I apologize but I would like to reassure everyone, for those that aren't already familiar with my writing, I never quit a story. I always finish them, even though it sometimes takes me a while. This story is nowhere near finished, just so you know. :D**_

_**Special thanks to my few and precioius reviewers of the last chapter: blueprincess16, , Erstina 13624, BlindSaya, and writer-progress-94. You guys are awesome and I love the guesses as to who the new girl is… but I'm not saying yet. hehe**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

_**Previously:**_

"_**You want me to stay here alone and care for an unconscious girl whom I have never met before?" He raises an eyebrow and stares at her.**_

"_**I trust you, Odagiri. You are a good guy and I know you will take good care of her." Pressing her hands together, Kumiko pleads with him. "Please?"**_

"_**Alright." Sighing, Ryu gives in. "But come right here as soon as classes end."**_

_**Before he could finish the sentence, Kumiko was already on her way out the door with an energetic wave. "Take good care of her." She reminds him with a quick glance back and closes the door softly.**_

"_**Just great." Ryu runs an agitated hand through his thick hair and stares down at the girl and decides to make her more comfortable. After checking to make sure she has on another shirt, he slides the hoodie off over her head. She moans slightly at the movement bringing his eyes back to her and he blushes lightly. The pull of the hoodie had also pulled the bottom of her shirt up, exposing the lean, smooth skin of her belly. Trying not to look, Ryu swiftly moves the shirt back into place and pulls a blanket up over her.**_

**Chapter 7: Who Are You x 2**

"Oww." Akahana rubs her hand across her face and rest it on her aching head. Sitting up, she looks around and her eyes widen at the unfamiliar surroundings. She lurches back until she is pressed up against the headboard of the bed with her eyes darting around the room.

"You finally woke up." Standing up from a chair across the room, Ryu sets down the book he had been reading and walks over to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Wh-Who are you? Where am I?" Scurrying to the side of the bed, Akahana tries to stand up but her legs give out and she falls back onto its soft surface.

"Take it easy. You're still sick." Ryu holds out the medicine and a glass of water to her. "Take this. It will help you feel better." The girl stares at the medicine suspiciously so Ryu sets it on the small table next to the bed with a shrug and a slight bow. "My name is Odagiri Ryu and I'm a friend of Yamaguchi Kumiko's. We brought you to my apartment after you fainted. Yankumi had to go back to the school but will be by to check on you afterwards, which should be in about half an hour."

"Yankumi?" Looking thoughtfully at the man in front of her, Akahana taps her chin with one slender finger. "Odagiri… Yankumi… hmm." Suddenly, she smiles broadly at him and relaxes. Ryu feels a faint blush come over his cheeks at the sight. "Oh! You're the Odagiri Ryu that used to be in onee-san's class and now works with her." Settling down into the pillows, the girl takes the medicine without suspicion or concern, content in her discovery of his identity.

"Onee-san?" This time it is Ryu's turn to be mystified as he crosses his arms and looks down at her. "I wasn't aware that Yankumi had a sister. It was my understanding that she's an only child, so who exactly are you?"

"Akahana." The girl bows awkwardly from her position on the bed but doesn't provide her family name. "I was, sort of, adopted by Onee-san when I was younger."

"That explains the fighting skills." Ryu says thoughtfully, almost to himself, as he studies the girl's face. It isn't exactly a beautiful face but it is definitely striking between the dark red hair and pale complexion. When he finally looks into her eyes, he feels as though the wind has been knocked out of him and it's everything he can do to stop the gasp from escaping his lips. Hidden behind thick lashes are golden irises with just the faintest hint of blue near the edges. After a couple minutes she starts to squirm and he realizes that he's been staring at her silently. Blinking, he turns away and heads over to the kitchen where he pours himself a glass of water. "Are you going to school?" This should be a safe enough subject, he thinks, as she looks young enough to be in high school and reminds him that he should not be staring at jailbait.

"I'm in my final year." She replies as she tries unsuccessfully to fix her hair back into its bun.

"Are you planning on continuing your education when you graduate or finding a job?" He walks over to a chair near the bed and sits down as a smile plays across his face thinking his assumption had been correct.

"At the moment I have no interest in pursuing a Master's degree which I know will upset Onee-san." Not noticing Ryu's stunned reaction, Akahana continues as she plays with her hair. "I can almost hear her now, 'With brains like yours, you need to fully take advantage of what schooling has to offer. Don't let your mind go to waste.' I've tried to explain to her that you don't have to go to school to study and that I can teach myself way better than any of those teachers but you know how she gets when she gets an idea into her head. There's no stopping her… unless you're Sawada Shin."

"Sawada Shin?" The name snaps Ryu out of his bemusement of the fact that she is a college student. Yankumi had said the guy she was with earlier was named Shin.

"Yeah." Akahana nods her head. "I haven't met him personally since he's been living out of the country but Kuma-san and the family have told me lots of stories about him. He's practically a legend."

"What do they…" Ryu is interrupted by a knock on his door and finds Kumiko standing cheerfully on his doorstep. Stepping to the side, he lets her in. "Yo."

"Yo." She says as she passes by him and walks over to the bed. "How the patient doing?"

"Fine, Onee-san." The red head smiles sheepishly at her big sister.

"Good. Now will you kindly tell me what the hell you were doing earlier with that gang of thugs?" Kumiko's eyes narrow on the young girl. "I know you had class today."

"I wasn't feeling well so I went to the store to buy some medicine." Shrugging, the girl lowers her eyes as she messes with the edge of the blanket. "Just before I got to the store, those morons cornered me and dragged to the docks. I haven't a clue as to why and, if I hadn't already been sick, there's no way they would have snagged me in the first place."

"It wasn't…" Eyes wide, Kumiko watches the girl carefully, almost afraid to put her thought into words.

"No, nothing like that." Akahana shakes her head forcefully and then grabs it as the room spins from the sudden movement. "I don't think they even realized that I was girl, let alone who I might be."

"Good. Well Hana-chan, do you think you can move? We really should be getting home." At the girl's assurance, Kumiko turns to Ryu with a bow. "Thanks, Odagiri, for watching over her. I really owe you one."

"Then you can pay for dinner tonight." Ryu jokes but is also reaffirming that they still have plans tonight. There are a few questions he'd like her to answer as well, starting with that Shin guy and ending with Akahana and what kind of trouble she's in.

"It's a deal. Are we going to Kuma's or that new Italian place on the corner by the market?"

"I'm thinking Italian. We can always go to Kuma's for lunch tomorrow." Almost holding his breath, Ryu waits to see if she'll accept a follow up date before they even get to the one tonight… not that Yankumi thinks of it as dating.

"True enough." Kumiko guides Akahana through the front door. "I'll see you at my house at six." With that, she closes the door and they walk to the elevator.

"Yes!" Inside, Ryu clenches his fists with a wide grin.

_**Thanks for reading and I would love to hear everyone's opinions on this latest chapter. So please review and let me know what you think.**_

_**Little spoiler: Next chapter, Shin is present when Ryu picks up Kumiko for their 'date'. *insert evil laugh here***_


	8. Kumiko Goes on a Date?

_**I know this has taken a while to update and I apologize but I would like to reassure everyone, for those that aren't already familiar with my writing, I never quit a story. I always finish them, even though it sometimes takes me a while… a long, long while this time.**_

_**Special thanks to my precious reviewers and to everyone who has taken the time to read my story. I appreciate it and hope you have enjoyed reading it and continue to enjoy the coming chapters.**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my story and any characters I may create. Gokusen and its original characters are not mine.**_

_***Also, I speak very little Japanese (I'm learning) and write even less so I apologize if I misspell or misuse any that I may or may not write. You have been warned. ;)**_

_**Previously:**_

"_Then you can pay for dinner tonight." Ryu jokes but is also reaffirming that they still have plans tonight. There are a few questions he'd like her to answer as well, starting with that Shin guy and ending with Akahana and what kind of trouble she's in._

"_It's a deal. Are we going to Kuma's or that new Italian place on the corner by the market?" _

"_I'm thinking Italian. We can always go to Kuma's for lunch tomorrow." Almost holding his breath, Ryu waits to see if she'll accept a follow up date before they even get to the one tonight… not that Yankumi thinks of it as dating._

"_True enough." Kumiko guides Akahana through the front door. "I'll see you at my house at six." With that, she closes the door and they walk to the elevator._

"_Yes!" Inside, Ryu clenches his fists with a wide grin._

**Chapter 8: Kumiko Goes on a Date?**

"Are you dating that guy, Ane-san?" Akahana asks as they walk into the house. She had been wondering about this since they had left Ryu's place.

"Dating who?" Clueless as always, Kumiko turns to look at the girl in confusion.

"Odagiri-san." Leading the way down the hall to the bedrooms, Akahana looks back when she notices that Kumiko has completely stopped. "You are going out to dinner with him tonight and are planning on lunch tomorrow, as well. It sounds like dating to me."

With a smile, Kumiko continues into her room with Akahana following closely behind. "Ryu is a friend, a fellow teacher and an old student of mine."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Plopping down on the bed, Akahana stares up at the older woman with a raised brow. "Friends can become friendlier, co-workers can fall in love and Ryu hasn't been your student for several years. Besides that, he's really handsome and nice. You don't have to hide who you are from him and he has a steady job."

"Knock, knock." Before Kumiko can respond to the rather logical reasoning, Shin appears in her doorway. "I thought I heard you come home."

"Hi, Shin." Smiling wide, Kumiko waves him in. "I have somebody I want you to meet. This is Akahana. I've adopted Hana-chan as my imouto."

"Ah, another one of Kumiko's projects I would guess." Shin smiles at the girl's wide-eyed expression. "Nice to meet you." He gives her a bow which she stands up and returns automatically with a soundless gasp on her lips.

"Are you really him?" At his questioning look, Akahana tries again. "Sawada Shin? The Sawada Shin?" Akahana, trying to remain cool, fails miserably and almost shrieks the last part in her excitement. "This is EPIC!" Her eyes travel from the top of his head down to his toes and back up again, studying every detail. Shin raises an eyebrow sardonically at the thorough inspection but maintains his usual silence.

"I've seen pictures of you but they are all like a decade old. Oh wow, it's really you! Did you just return today? Will you be staying here with us?" Before anyone can answer, Akahana's eyes widen as another thought pops into her active mind and she turns towards Yankumi. "Is it still okay for you to meet Odagiri-san for dinner since Sawada-san is home?"

"Kumiko has a dinner date?" Shin asks quietly.

"It's not a date. It's dinner with Odagiri." Kumiko sighs in exasperation. "He's a friend, fellow teacher and was a student of mine. In fact, he was in the class I taught after you left."

"Odagiri Ryu-san is also smart, rich and hot." Akahana pipes in with a grin. "His apartment is pretty high class, too."

"As if that matters." With a snort, Yankumi picks out a casual outfit of jeans and a red tee-shirt to change into. "Remember Hana-chan, money is important but it is not everything."

"I know. I know." Akahana nods sluggishly, having heard this speech a thousand times before. "It's not everything but it sure as hell helps."

"Akahana." Kumiko admonishes with a stern look before sighing. "Whatever, I'm going to go change. You two behave." With that, she walks out the door and down the hall to the bathroom.

"So Ani-san," Akahana smiles mischievously up at him. "I heard that Odagiri Ryu will be here at six to pick up Ane-san. Want to meet the competition?"

"I have plans tonight, Hana-chan." Smiling back at the girl, he is secretly amused at her automatic adoption of him as her brother. Shin lazily wraps an arm around Akahana's shoulders, his smile turning a little sly. "Some friends of mine are coming here that I haven't seen in a long time. We all graduated high school together."

It didn't take more than a moment for Akahana to catch on. "Oh really? Your schoolmates are coming here? What time are they supposed to arrive?"

Shin glances down at his watch and raises an eyebrow. "They should start showing up any time now."

"Then maybe we should go greet them and catch up on all the latest news." With a short giggle, Akahana grabs hold of Shin's arm and drags him out of the room. As they near the entrance, both can hear the arrival of some of Shin's guests.

"Shin!" Several guys greet Shin with relieved smiles, glad to be able to focus on someone other than the burly yakuza men who tried to welcome them at first and just really excited to see their leader again after so long. They rush up as one to give him a hug which overwhelms him and he manages to push them back with a smirk after a minute.

"Konbanwa." Shin gives them a casual two-fingered salute and notices that their attention has shifted slightly away from him. Following their gazes, he looks down at Akahana who is standing just behind his right shoulder having stepped back when the guys rushed in for the hug.

"Ani-san, why are they staring at me?" Akahana nervously twirls a curl of hair.

"Hey!" Shin smacks the back of Noda's head since he was the closest. "Eyes back in your heads and mind your manners."

"Ani? You have another sister Shin?" Minami tears his gaze away from Akahana to stare at Shin. "And why are your sisters always so cute?"

Shin just shrugs, letting the guys think whatever they want. "Hana-chan, this is Uchi, Noda, Minami and Kuma." They each bow in turn. "Guys, this is Akahana."

"So you are my Ani-san's classmates? It is nice to meet you." Akahana smiles and bows. "Of course, I already know Kuma-san." She walks up to the big man and gives him a hug.

"How are you Hana-chan? My wife wants you to stop by soon. She hasn't seen you in a while." Smiling broadly, Kuma hugs her back affectionately.

"I'm okay, thanks. I will go see her tomorrow now that I am feeling better." Akahana agrees just as everyone hears Kumiko yelling from her room.

"Hana-chan! Where's my handphone? Odagiri is going to be here soon and I can't fine it." Kumiko comes hurrying into the room and skids to stop when she sees the guests. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Nice greeting Kumiko." Shin rolls his eyes. "They're here to visit with me."

"Sorry." Kumiko blushes and then a broad smile brightens her face as runs up and tussles everyone's hair. "Hi guys."

"Oi! Yankumi!" They complain as they try to straighten their hair.

"Why's that Odagiri kid coming here?" Noda asks while combing his fingers through his hair.

"Who's Odagiri?" Minami asks in confusion.

"You remember. He's was in the class Yankumi taught after ours. The guy who became a teacher and helped expose that huge drug ring with her last year." Noda shakes his head. "It was all over the news. Scared us half to death when we saw that gun aimed at Yankumi."

"Oh yeah, I remember him now." Minami rubs his chin in thought. "That was a huge mess. Leave it to Yankumi to get in the middle of something like that."

"Kumiko, what are they talking about?" Shin asks quietly, a sharp edge to his voice. When Kumiko just waves it off, Shin turns to eye Kuma.

"Don't look at me like that." Backing up, Kuma puts his hands up defensively. "It was done and over with before I could call you, so I didn't want to worry you over it."

"Kumiko, we will be discussing this later." Shin says firmly to the woman as she runs over to a low table having spotted her handphone laying on it.

"There really isn't much to tell and I'm not sure what time I will be back tonight." Kumiko tosses the phone in her bag and puts on her jacket. "It probably won't be too late since we're only going to dinner."

"You're going on a date with that Odagiri kid?" Minami's eyes widen and the others gasp in shock.

"It's just dinner with Odagiri." Rolling her eyes, Kumiko steps down into the entrance and puts her shoes on. "It's not dating."

"And don't forget lunch with him tomorrow." Akahana pipes in with sly grin.

"That sounds an awful lot like dating." Uchi crosses his arms and eyes his former teacher.

Their interrogation is interrupted by the arrival of the person in question. Odagiri's eyes widen at the sight of so many men filling the front room of the Ooedo home. They narrow slightly when he catches sight of Shin, recognizing him as the man he saw with Yankumi earlier. Remembering his manners, he gives everyone a bow. "Konbanwa."

The guys nod their heads to Odagiri and step a little closer to get a better look at him. After a thorough inspection, they look back at Yankumi and then at Odagiri again. Shin just shakes his head at their antics, as he quietly observes his rival… not that he really considers Odagiri as a rival. Grudgingly, Shin has to agree with Akahana's assessment. This Odagiri Ryu definitely passes as an ikemen, even in casual jeans and a tee-shirt.

"Odagiri-san," Akahana walks up to him with a bow. "Thank you for taking care of me earlier. Welcome to our home."

"You're welcome Akahana-chan. I'm glad to see you are feeling better." Smiling at the girl, Odagiri bows in return.

"Much better." Akahana agrees with a smile.

"Yo, Odagiri." Walking up, Kumiko smiles at him.

"Yo." Odagiri hands her a single daisy. "Saw this on the way here and couldn't resist."

"Thanks." Kumiko brightens at the sight of the flower then turns towards the rest of the guests when she hears someone clearing their throat and sees them scowling at her. They are actually staring at the flower in her hand though. "Oh, right! You guys haven't actually met Odagiri, except for Kuma. This is Odagiri Ryu. He was one of my students and is now teaching at my school."

"Odagiri, these are some of the students from the first class I taught, the class just before yours. Kumai Teruo, you already know. This is Minami Yoichi, Noda Takeshi and Uchiyama Haruhiko." She points to each and they give a slight wave in return, giving him somewhat cold looks tinged with just a bit of confusion. "Next to me is Sawada Shin. He's just returned from living in America, so the guys are having a little impromptu party." Shin gives him the barest of nods.

"Nice to meet you." Odagiri says to everyone before turning back to Kumiko. "Yankumi, we should probably get going and I'm sure these guys want to get started on their festivities."

"Right." Handing the flower to Akahana to put in a vase, Kumiko waves to everyone and walks out the door. "Have fun guys. I'll see you later."

"Sayonara." Giving a small wave, Odagiri quickly follows her out the door.

The guys explode as soon as Kumiko and Odagiri are out of hearing range.

"An ikemen?" Minami shrieks.

"Yeah right that's not a date! He even brought her a flower." Uchi half laughs in disbelief.

"Wonder when Yankumi will realize Odagiri likes her?" Kuma wonders, laughing at how oblivious Yankumi can be. Seriously, even Kuma can tell.

"That was weird." Noda stares at the doorway before turning towards Shin. Studying the man's face, Noda raises his eyebrows at what he sees before asking a question that turns the room into stone cold silence. "How long have you been in love with Yankumi, Shin?"

_~So that's it for this chapter. What did you think? Please review and let me know. I really do like hearing from everyone. _

_~Next chapter will have some interesting conversations between Shin and his friends and Yankumi's 'date' may not go exactly as planned. *evil laughter*_

_~Again, huge apologies for the crazy long wait. A lot of stuff happened and I lost the inspiration to write for a long time._

_Terms used (hoping I got them right):_

_Ane – older sister, used for your own family. Onee is used to reference another's sister._

_Ani – older brother, used for your own family. Onii is used to reference another's brother._

_Imouto – younger sister_

_Konbanwa – good evening_

_Sayonara – goodbye_

_Ikemen – good looking guy_


	9. Master Shin

I know it has been centuries (or least it seems like) since I have updated. I am still receiving messages and reviews from my lovely readers asking, in some cases even begging or demanding, for an update. I won't give you any excuses or reasons for the extremely long delay. Just please believe that I am very sorry it has taken this long and very grateful that you still want to read my stories. Thank you to everyone who liked/followed/commented/read the previous chapters and I hope you continue to enjoy the ones to come. I am not giving up on this story.

Just in case anyone still doesn't know: I do not own anything Gokusen. Only the story and a few original characters are mine. It's the nature of writing fanfiction.

**Previously…**

_The guys explode as soon as Kumiko and Odagiri are out of hearing range._

_"An ikemen?" Minami shrieks._

_"Yeah right that's not a date! He even brought her a flower." Uchi half laughs in disbelief._

_"Wonder when Yankumi will realize Odagiri likes her?" Kuma wonders, laughing at how oblivious Yankumi can be. Seriously, even Kuma can tell._

_"That was weird." Noda stares at the doorway before turning towards Shin. Studying the man's face, Noda raises his eyebrows at what he sees before asking a question that turns the room into stone cold silence. "How long have you been in love with Yankumi, Shin?"_

**Chapter 9: Master Shin **

Shin looks around at his assembled friends and, with a half smirk, turns away without admitting or denying anything. The others stand there, mouths open in shock. Kuma chuckles at their expressions before following Shin over to the low table to sit on the cushions. Eventually the rest follow while continuing to eye their newly returned leader.

"Shin likes Yankumi?" Uchi asks in disbelief, not waiting for an answer. "Odagiri likes Yankumi? Are you kidding with us? Is it April 1st? What the hell?"

"Since when is our weird teacher so popular?" Minami asks.

"Why is she so popular?" Noda shakes his head.

"Are you insulting Ojou?" A menacing voice asks from the next room. Tetsu and Minoru come from behind a screen, each holding a sword. They step into the room, ready to defend their lady's honor. The guys scramble to the far end of the table to get away, leaving Shin sitting by himself.

"Tetsu-san. Minoru-san." Looking over at the large yakuza men, Shin simply raises an eyebrow at them and they lower their weapons.

"Sorry Young Master Shin." Both bow to Shin but shoot a warning look at the others, daring them to say another insulting word about their beloved lady. Minoru and Tetsu put their weapons back on the display hooks, before coming back in with a couple large white bottles of saki and enough cups for everyone. Giving one last warning look at the assembled guys, they leave quietly.

The room is filled with silence, except the shuffling sound as everyone spreads out around the table once more. Cups are filled and passed around. After several sips, the guys begin to relax.

"So, what's with the 'Young Master' Shin stuff?" Taking another sip from his cup, Noda looks over at Shin.

"Yeah! Seriously, how is it you rank such respect that those Yakuza guys obey you?" Uchi, wide-eyed, stares at his friend with wonder.

"I haven't got a clue." Shin replies while running a hand through his hair. "They've been like that almost since I met them."

"Oh it's not just them." Laughing, Kuma swings his arms around to encompass the whole area. "Everyone in this neighborhood recognizes him and calls him that. I stopped to talk to some of the venders I know on the way here and overheard several of them talking about Shin's return. Everyone is very excited."

"Ah Sawada Shin, I heard you have guests." The head of the Ooedo clan walks into the room with a welcoming smile. "I won't interrupt, as I know it has been a long time since you have seen your friends. I just want to welcome them into our house."

Everyone around the table stands up quickly and bows to the older man in respect.

"Sit. Sit." He motions them back to the floor. "Welcome to our home. If there is anything you need, please let us know. I had the kitchen prepare some food for your enjoyment. Eat a lot." Kuroda motions with his hand and several ladies bring in trays laden down with food. Delicious smells fill the air.

"Thank you Kuroda-sama." Shin bows with a smile and the guys follow suit. "I'm sure we will enjoy it."

"Good. Have a good evening gentlemen." With a final smile, Kuroda leaves the room.

Minami exhales in a loud sigh. "How do you stay so relaxed around him Shin? His presence alone fills up the room so much I'm afraid to even breathe."

Shin just laughs at his friend as he peruses all the tasty food on the table.

"Let's eat!" Noda says as he reaches for his first takoyaki ball. After shoving it in his mouth, he looks over at Shin with a thoughtful look. Swallowing, he points his chopsticks at Shin. "Don't think we've forgotten the original topic. I still want an answer from you about you and Yankumi. You've always been different, so it doesn't really surprise me that much if you've fallen for her. After all, you can't get much more different than our teacher."

"That's true." Uchi agrees thoughtfully, but then shakes his head. "But still, it's Yankumi! She's not sexy. She's not cute. She rough, loud and more than a little crazy."

"What do you see in Yankumi?" Minami asks. He's not mocking or ridiculing but seriously curious about how his friends sees this woman.

Shin stays silent for a while, long enough that the others begin to wonder if he is going to answer at all. He's never been big on explaining himself. A sigh escapes Shin's lips and he smiles. The words come out slowly as he considers the best way to answer such a complex question. "How I see Kumiko? She's passionate… sincere… honest… hardworking… loyal… and optimistic almost to the point of idiocy. You ask me how I can like her but I wonder how you can't. Are you so blinded by what she shows to the world that you are unable to actually see her?"

It's hard to say whether the guys are more shocked by what Shin said or the fact that he said so much at one time. The only sound to be heard is their breathing as they absorb his words. Then the clatter of chopsticks as they slowly begin eating again, still contemplating his description of Yankumi.

"Nope. It's still Yankumi." Uchi shakes the thoughts out of his head. "You can admire her all you want and I will support you, man, but it's still Yankumi. I can't see her in any other way, which is a good thing since I don't want to compete with you."

"Whatever makes you happy, dude." Minami agrees as he throws strips of meat onto the small grill. "But it's still weird."

Noda and Kuma both look at each other and burst out laughing. What Shin said about Yankumi is true but so is what Uchi and Manami said.

_Next chapter will have the date… should be fun. Hehe_

_Please review and tell me what you think. Like it / Love it / Hate it … Whatever, just let me know. Also, if you have any suggestions or requests, I would love to hear them._

_Thanks for reading!_


End file.
